Astroball was also written for the Spectrum, as was a sequel “Turbulence” which appeared on a Your Sinclair cover tape.

Interviews:

A 1998 interview with Balor can be found HERE

Where are they now?:

Now a successful next-gen console programmer with a string of big-budget PC, PS2 and XBOX titles to his name - often in the multi-player genre of extreme racing simulation.

Has been the lead programmer on several high-end PC racing-game titles: “Re-Volt”, developed whilst Balor was at Acclaim Studios, London; and The Italian Job, developed at Climax Studios, Brighton - to name but two.

Recently (2004) seen as the lead programmer on the PS2 racing-game title “Crash ‘n’ Burn” - developed by Climax Studios, Brighton.

Balor now works as a next-gen programmer for Blackrock Studios in Brighton. According to his Bio entry at MobyGames his latest work (2008) was as one of the lead programmers on the game Pure - which is a Quad-Bike racing simulator.

Balor is still at Black Rock Studio in Brighton. He has recently (2010) been credited as one of the Lead Programmers on Disney Interactive’s arcade racing game Split/Second: Velocity - and this link will take you to the MobyGames entry for this game.

Recently, Balor and two other engine programmers from Black Rock Studio, documented the method of Screen-Space Classification for Efficient Deferred Shading used in the 3D engine they developed for the game Split/Second: Velocity.

The article appears in the book Game Engine Gems 2 and an excerpt was published over a two month period in the online magazine “Develop”.

The first part appears in the June 2011 issue, starting on Page 56 - and that issue can be read HERE. The second part appears in the July 2011 issue, starting on page 70 - and that issue can be read HERE.

Balor is now a member of Gobo Games in Brighton - a small start-up games company comprising a core of industry veterans, many of whom came from the ashes of Black Rock Studios. I assume Balor is employed at Gobo Games as a programmer. They are currently developing a “Triple A” title - the title of which has not been revealed.

Gobo Games have a facebook page - which you can view HERE - and Balor is pictured in the “team” photo. He is the fourth person from the left.

As well as working for Gobo Games (as mentioned above) Balor also formed his own company (for sideline projects) called Mad Atom Games. They have a Facebook page HERE.

On the Facebook page there are photos of their latest game, called Monkey Slam, coming to an app store some time in September. I’m assuming both Apple and Android here, although the Facebook page doesn’t specify.

Monkey Slam seems to be a “Chimp and Banana” based Breakout clone with some nice graphics!

Fancy working with Balor on a AAA mobile game? Well, his company are currently (24/1/2013) looking to hire programmers and artists - check out their page on Wired Sussex. His contact details are also listed.

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